Unrequited Love
by gracekathrynm537
Summary: Running from the agony of unrequited love, Hermione flees Hogwarts during the middle of her 6th year. She thought that disappearing would make him go away, but a ghost of her past comes to haunt her. Very angsty. M for dark feelings and smut later. HS HV
1. Leaving

**Summary:** Running from the agony of unrequited love, Hermione flees Hogwarts during the middle of her 6th year. She thought that disappearing would make him go away, but a ghost of her past comes to haunt her.

"Leaving"

"_I don't love you, Hermione," Severus said in a cold, harsh tone._

_She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Severus, not love _her_?_

_She couldn't even bear to hear any more of the words that tumbled from those lips, those_ lips_ that had brought her so much passion just a night before, for fear that the words they spilt might bring even more pain, or worse, might try to apologize._

_And yet, each silken, silent syllable that those lips caressed promptly delivered a dagger of sweet, piercing agony to her already mangled-beyond-repair heart._

_He was saying her name now. She could read his lips._

_His expression was guilty._

_He opened his mouth, no doubt, ready to apologize, and survival instincts kicked in._

_Terrified, misled, betrayed, perplexed, wounded, and in despair, Hermione Granger fled the scene._

As she sat up against a tree in the present, the bark uncomfortably scratching her back, hiding inside the Forbidden Forest, the panorama replayed in her mind over and over again – that moment of her worst despair flashing before her tear-filled eyes a thousand times.

Stretching out on the cold, cold ground, she sobbed into the Earth in a very animalistic way of grieving, and longed for a refuge from pain in the midst of yearning for her unrequited love.

_She ran straight to Gryffindor Tower, trying desperately to outrun the pounding footsteps behind her that came from his boots as he called her name, coaxing her to come back, to wait._

_Her legs carried her swiftly, and tiny dancer's feet flew over the ground, the tips of her toes barely skimming the surface, yet launching her forward like a bottle rocket._

_He called again, this time more distant._

_She quickly panted the password when she arrived at the portrait, and the Fat Lady let her in immediately._

_There was no one in the common room, which was both good and bad. Good, because no one saw her come in. Bad, because that meant all of her roommates were in bed and she might accidentally wake them while packing – or worse, what if they were still awake enough to ask questions?_

_It was with that thought that she turned on her heel and ran back out into the corridor and straight through the double doors, leaving everything she had behind her and heading off with just her wand and a broken heart._

And here she lay, in the middle of the Forbidden Forest, at 5 A.M., sobbing her heart out to the Earth, and praying to a higher being that, somehow, someday, she would be able to escape.


	2. Worried, Tired, and Lonely

**Okay, now I'm really miffed.**

**Already 200+ people have visited the first chapter of this story, yet how many review?**

**Raise your hand if you reviewed.**

**That's right. Those who raised their hands are liars.**

**Don't get me wrong, dear readers, I love you all so, so much, but it really doesn't encourage me when I don't have any reviews. It makes me self conscious because I'm just sort of going out on a limb, assuming people want more, when I could, theoretically, just be wasting my time.**

…

_**Was it REALLY that **_**bad**_**?**_

…

**Review for the sake of my sanity, or lock your house up at night and get an alarm system.**

**Choice is yours.**

…

"**Worried, Tired, and Sweaty"**

Severus Snape was worried.

Worried, because Hermione Granger was not at breakfast the day after their little dispute.

Worried, because Hermione Granger was not at class.

Worried, because Hermione Granger was not in the library.

Worried, because Hermione Granger had vanished, leaving no trace behind – not even a magical one. Everything that he and the Headmaster found had stopped with a Mask spell that hides one's magical core, eliminating all trace of any magical signature.

Basically, that meant the two of them were screwed.

…

Hermione was tired.

Tired physically.

Tired of being picked upon.

Tired of magic.

And finally, tired of being tired.

"Oh, Severus," She whispered, wrapping her arms around herself tightly, seeming to be under the apprehension that if she let go of herself, she would shatter.

She sure as hell felt like she would.

It was probably for the best, because now she wouldn't be taking any chances with her already miniscule amount of health. Merlin knows that her body wasn't strong enough to exert even minimal amounts of energy. For example, if she were to try to stand right now (which would be very foolish), she would fall and be rewarded with large, purple bruises. After over a week and a half out here, she was dying.

She wasn't dying because she didn't know how to heal herself. Actually, she was a rather good healer.

She was dying, because her mind couldn't scrape up the emotional strength that it would take to pick up her wand and cast a spell.

No. She couldn't bring herself to remain a part of this world any longer.

She had seen more heartbreak and death here than she would in a thousand Muggle years.

_One last spell, Hermione,_ she could practically _hear_ her wand coax. _For closure._

Well, she must be going crazy. _No._

_Hmm… For Severus?_

Damn crafty wand.

This thought was interrupted when she saw a light in the distance that was surely coming from a wand. She heard a dog bark – Fang. She heard voices call – Hagrid and...

And Severus.

That was when she made the final decision. One last spell, for _closure_, not her love, that would heal her enough so she could stand. Then, she would apparate to her safe place and leave this particular magical world behind.

She cast a non verbal 'Augmenti' with the tip of her wand pointed at her mouth, and she gulped down the water quickly. Now at least semi-hydrated, she, very carefully, stood and concentrated very hard on where she wanted to go.

And as she turned, all thoughts focused on one place, she felt someone touch her arm, and she looked up, for the last time, into the worried and agonized face of her love.

Then, she arrived in Bulgaria.

"Herm-own-ninny?" A voice called.


	3. Real Men Garden the Muggle Way

Viktor hummed happily to himself as he pulled weeds from his garden the Muggle way, thinking happy thoughts, when he heard a familiar 'POP' from a few feet away.

He glanced over and his eyes bugged wide.

"Herm-own-ninny?" He breathed, horrified.

Horrified, not because she was here, but because she was here and looked like she had been beaten to hell and back.

Of course, he would've loved to see her under any other circumstance, but not like this.

She was badly bruised, bleeding everywhere, though he doubted she was strong enough to realize it. Her hair was mangled and dirty beyond the point of no return, with mud and leaves and sticks poking out at random angles. Damn – it would have to be cut off. Her clothes were battered and torn, and she looked like she was going to faint any second.

Despite all that, she had a smile plastered onto her face.

_Damn ignorant Brit_, he thought.

"Hell-o, V-iktor," She slurred.

Despite himself, he smiled. Ah, his Hermione. He could think her name right, but had yet to discover how to force it out of his mouth the proper way.

Then again, maybe he would learn it, because, in her condition, she didn't look like she would be going anywhere anytime soon.

She stumbled forward, most likely trying to run to him, and he ran forth to catch her before she could fall face-first into the ground. He realized she was crying when she started to shake in his arms, and he smoothed her hair back, murmuring soothing words in his native language as he picked her up, carrying her into his little cottage and heading straight up the stairs, nudging the door of his bedroom open with his heavy boot. He placed her gently on the bed, then murmured, "Scourgify," to rid her of the dried blood and other debris that coated her whole body.

Viktor moved quickly to his healing cabinet above the sink in the bathroom and located the extreme-strength healing potion he had been given as a joking 'get well soon' gift a while ago. He had received the potion after falling off his broom from at least 5 km (15,000 ft, fellow Americans) in the air. He had been drugged up on miscellaneous potions at St. Mungo's for a long time, so he hadn't needed it, but was glad he had saved it.

Glad, because Hermione did.

He went back to his room and found his unrequited love tangled blissfully in the thick, but still lightweight, lovely, white, down-filled comforter, lying on his bed, fast asleep. Her light snore filled the room, and he resisted the urge to laugh.

Tenderly, he knelt at the side of her beautiful sleeping body and administered the potion, pouring just a few drops into her open mouth. After a few moments, he saw the bruises begin to fade and her cuts seal up, and he knew that she would be all right.

He exhaled a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding.

Reassured, he nonverbally transfigured her tarnished garments into a set of silk pajamas that she would be comfortable in. Blue, of course, to compliment her skin tone.

He then took a quick shower, pulled on a pair of sweatpants, and crawled into bed next to Hermione.

He let out a blissful sigh and gave himself over to his fantasizing dreams and silently chastised himself for hoping for what would never be.

…

Meanwhile, Severus Snape, a grown man, was a mess.

He paced about, tears (of anger, of course :) streaming down his face, trying to clear his thoughts enough that he could sleep, even if it was half past four.

It was all his fault, and he knew it.

Why else would the heart of the Golden Trio run like a bat out of hell?

And where had she apparated to?

He'd tried to side-along with her, but she had shaken him off, to his dismay.

Severus frowned as he thumped back into his favorite thinking chair, frustrated.

Where was she?

It hit him like a ton of bricks and a baby elephant:

Krum.

**WOOT WOOT! Another update for you – in the writing mood today! Working on next chapter right now!**


	4. An Old Doucher and Eating for Two

Viktor stood in his kitchen pushing scrambled eggs around in a pan with a spatula, humming quietly so as not to wake the sleeping beauty upstairs by singing loudly, as was his custom on happy mornings.

(Now, don't look so shocked, either. Real men cook the Muggle way too, damn it, and Viktor is secure enough in his masculinity to wear a pink apron while doing so!)

However, when he heard light footsteps pad around above him, he knew that it didn't much matter anyways, since she was already awake, so he began to belt out his favorite tune.

Hermione came running down the stairs immediately, hair mussed from sleep, her features groggy-looking, and wand at the ready.

Viktor stopped singing and looked over, confused.

It was her turn to look confused now. "We aren't under attack?" She murmured.

"No," Viktor murmured. "Vhyever vould you think that?"

She didn't answer his question, but asked another one in turn. "What in the name of Merlin was that Gods-awful noise?"

Viktor blushed and looked down at the plate in front of him, embarrassed and slightly wounded by her harsh words.

"I vas singing." He said quietly.

Her eyes bugged out a bit, and then she regained control over her expression. "Oh. Viktor, I'm-"

"It is…" He interrupted. "How you say? No big thing. I shall not sing if you do not vish."

"Viktor-"

"Breakvast is ready." He said quickly. Merlin, how he loved this girl, but he could not handle anymore of her hurtful words. She did not mean for her words to cause pain, he was sure, but that didn't change the fact that they did.

He snapped out of his reverie and smiled at her, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Eat, before gets cold."

She reluctantly took a seat without further argument and began to eat, surprised at how hungry she was. She felt like she was eating for two.

Viktor watched as she practically inhaled the entire thing. She ate just as much as he did, if not more.

He made a show of looking over at her stomach, which was, amazingly, still flat.

"Vhere does all go?" He exclaimed in wonder.

She laughed along with him and was thankful for the restoration of the lighthearted mood of the household.

She was also glad that Viktor seemed to realize she didn't want to talk about the reason for her unexpected visit. He could obviously sense that it was a deep-rooted pain that ailed her, and now that she was physically healed, she needed help to emotionally heal.

Hopefully, strength would come.

He pushed his chair back from the table and patted his stomach, sighing contentedly. Hermione giggled.

He grinned at her.

"Now," He murmured, still smiling. "Sightseeing, yes?"

…

"You're completely insane! You've bloody lost your bloody fucking mind!" screeched Severus at the old man who was sitting in the chair behind his desk with that infuriatingly calm expression on his wrinkled face.

"Severus," Albus said in a dangerously quiet tone. "Sit before I change my mind and decide to sedate you until we find Miss Granger, rather than keeping you posted."

"Keeping me posted? NO, DAMN IT, IT'S MY BLOODY FAULT SHE'S GONE AND I'M GOING TO BLOODY FIX THIS BLOODY MESS YOU OLD DOUCHER!"

"_**Severus Tobias Snape, sit down NOW or I shall hex you into the next century."**_

Severus let out a non-committal "hmph" at the usage of his full name, but plopped down into the chair and crossed his arms across his chest, looking like a sullen boy whilst doing so.

Dumbledore took a deep, calming breath, and then smiled at Severus.

"My dear boy," Albus began.

"It is obvious from your words that you believe you are at fault for the disappearance of Miss Granger. Indeed, you probably could've been a bit more delicate when handling the situation. I will not try to convince you otherwise, nor will I sugar-coat the situation.

"But, Severus," The Headmaster continued. "I am about to give you a direct order, and I fully expect it to be followed."

He waited for Snape to nod.

Once he did, Albus continued.

"You will listen to every word I have to tell you tonight, and then you will do exactly as I say. I expect you to make me a vow."

Severus' eyebrows shot up, but then he sighed and nodded.

Albus smirked, then rambled on in his schpeel.

"Swallow your pride for a moment, Severus. Vanquish the sense of nobility that demands you work in solitude toward a solution. Let us help you. Please. I know you feel terrible – you're a horrible Occlumens when you're upset – but honestly, Severus, we have wasted so much time already. I do not think that Hermione is in danger at all, personally, and agree with your suspicions that she went to Viktor to find solace.

"However, I do not think it right to go after her just yet."

Severus opened his mouth immediately to protest, and Dumbledore silenced him by raising his right hand.

"Hear me out.

"Hermione Granger no doubt ran from Hogwarts because she was in emotional turmoil, the most painful agony of the mind. She loved you, Severus, truly loved you. Loved you enough to trust you to take care of her heart.

"And what did you do? Why, you quashed her hopes and dreams and treaded all over everything she had ever believed in, which includes yourself.

"How do you think she will fare, Severus, if we come bursting into Viktor Krum's kitchen and drag her out by her toes? She'll go insane, if she isn't gone already. The mind can only endure so much, Severus. You are both an excellent Occlumens and a Legillimens – you have seen the inner workings of the mind. You know I speak truth.

"Leave her to heal, for now, Severus.

"If you truly love her like I know you do."

Severus Snape was silent.

Dumbledore then rather abruptly switched out of serious mode and went back into happy-bubbly-crazy-old-man normalcy.

"As for your other comment, I do believe you called me an 'old doucher'? While I admit to being old, I do not have a vagina and I am also very, very gay, so I cannot say I have ever used a douche. You must have been misinformed."


	5. Chapter 5

Hello, everyone!

Unfortunately, this is not an update for the story. Terribly sorry. :(

But anyways….

Unfortunately, somehow, somewhere, FF said I have, quote, "violated the Guidelines". While I am positive that this never happened, they said I have 3 days to remove the "malicious content" from the site and if I did not, my account would be closed.

So, seeing as I have no idea what to remove, and I don't want to delete all of my stories because I would probably end up crying as I did so, I will no longer be posting updates or stories to this account.

I HAVE started a new account, but I won't tell you the name of it. Maybe you'll guess!

Don't be sad. If you think this is the end, then you truly don't know me. :)

Love always,

Grace


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